NAN/NAAM Day 21. Federal Legislation Introduced to Kick Adoption Facilitators to the Curb

Ohio Senator John Husted announced today that he has introduced the Adoption Deserves Oversight, Protection and Transparency (ADOPT) Act .

At first, I moaned. I lived most of my life in Ohio, and I am not a huge fan of Husted for various reasons I won’t get into, but he is no Senator Crazypants Bernie Moreno;, a millionaire luxury car salesman ,currently Ohio’s other senator and straitjacket candidate Husted is adopted (out of Michigan, I believe.)

No bill number is listed in the press release, and I can’ find it by name on the US Senate Legislative page, so it’s just been dropped with no action yet. Without reading the details I can’t critique, endorse or diss it, but if there is nothing in language hidey-holes it looks good- (for once!). This is something adoption reformers have practically begged for for decades: kicking adoption facilitators– aka leeches, crooks, frauds–out of business.

But first:

For those who don’t know what an adoption facilitator is, here’s the definition. Granted, it’s taken from an adoption agency info page, (and agencies hate facilitators), but it’s a good definition:

Adoption facilitators are unlicensed and unregulated organizations or individuals. They offer adoption matching services but cannot offer full-scale adoption services such as: counseling services legal services p. Post-placement support services. Adoption facilitators are not regulated or reviewed and often provide services that do not comply with state or federal adoption law. Facilitators expose you to a higher risk of practices that are not being completed in a safe, legal, or ethical manner.

In other words, even YOU can be an adoption facilitator, should you choose, which I know you would not.

Some states outlaw facilitators and others have limits including on how and where they can drum up business. That is advertise. I’m not looking now but in the past, I’ve seen these adoption pimps roaming the pages of Facebook, and I know that they were reported, but have no idea if anything was done about them. Probably nothing.

Husted ‘s press release preface:

Too often, unlicensed individuals—so-called baby brokers—exploit vulnerable mothers and hopeful families through fraud and manipulation. This bill ensures that every adoption goes through licensed, trusted professionals so birth mothers are protected and families can have confidence in the process. It’s an important first step toward ending exploitation in adoption, and I’m proud to lead it to make clear: the adoption system should serve families, not fraudsters.

According to the press release this is the bill’s purpose., nterestingly, it also hits “adoption professionals” (which I assume means agencies) from working in states where they are not licensed. Oh!Oh!

Limit adoption professionals to running paid advertisements only in the states where they hold a license.
Ensures payments to expectant mothers are made through a provider that is licensed where the expectant mother resides.
Prohibit unlicensed entities from advertising or providing adoption services.

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) are lead sponsors. Klobuchar has a record of adoptee friendly legislation. Katy Britt. All I can say about this is that these kinds of bills need bi-partisan support.

I suspect that just on general principle, the ADOPT Act will go nowhere, as do most bills that might make adoption a little more “honest,” but I will keep an eye on it.

The Hospital Adoption Education Act of 2025 was also introduced the House with a companion in the Senate. I am very leery of this bill but will save if for another day soon. I want to read this one before I comment.